Sign.



H. A. RUSSElL.

SIGN.

APPLICATION msn :uns 11. 191s.

1 ,258, 146. Patented Mar. 5, 1918.

HERMAN A. RUSSELL, 0F CHICAGU, ILLINOIS.

SIGN.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 5, 1918.

Application led June 17, 1916. Serial No. 104,170.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, HERMAN A. RUSSELL, a subject of the Emperor of German and a resident of Chicago, in the county o Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in signs and particularly of a type adapted for interior display, in which a plurality of insertible plate characters are used, whereby signs having different phrases may be constructed.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a sign of the type described in which one or more lines of type may be used, provisions being made whereby each individual type character is prevented from lateral movement.

Another object is to provide such device of relatively low expense to manufacture convenient and easy to manipulate, and o a generally pleasing appearance.

These and other objects, which will become more fully apparent as the description progresses, are attained by the novel design and construction of parts hereafter described, and shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a material part of this disclosure and in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a sign made in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 shows partial sectional and plan views showingr the arrangement of frame parts and securing means.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental perspective view of a cross bar engageable with the frame sildes and adapted to carry the insertible type ates.

p Fig. 4 is a front elevational view showing a script type, thecharacter stelns of which are arranged to join succeeding characters without break in their continuity, and

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the same.

In Fig. 1 an ordinary four sided fra'xme is presented having top and, bottom members 2O connected by vertically disposed lateral members 21 having a plurality of perforations 22 through their inner elements.

Engageable with these perforations are the split tubes 23, the same being secured in the opposite ends of a transverse bar 25, whereby the same is adjustably held in position between the frame sides 21.

Along the entire length of the transverse bars 25, at the front, is a projecting rib 26 on which are formed a series of serrations 28, both the rib and serrations being covered by a clamp cover plate 30, the sections being clearly shown in Fig. 3, which also shows the beveled undercut lower edge 29 of the rib adapted to hold the letters vertically.

T he character bearing plates 85 are shown in Figs. 4 and 5 inclusive, and consist of separate plates or blocks, the same being substantially rectangular in profile having straight parallel sides and provided with indentations 36 along their full lower edge adapted to suit the serrations 28, in an obvious manner, the same being held in their proper location by means of the outer clamp bar 30, which has inserted in its ends split pins 33 adapted to enter and engage with the interior of the tubes Q3 so as to hold the parts in proper relation.

lVhile a single character is shown on each plate, it will be obvious that several charac` ters may appear if preferred, as for instance the word and, etc.

The form of type shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is preferably employed where opaque plates with transparent lettering is used. A lighting means behind will thus give the impression of an uninterrupted scrip, an effect not obtainable in the old style illuminated signs where the dividing lines between two plates is always visible.

The upper edges of the character plates are adapted to enter the undercut recess Q9 in the rib 26, so that the character plates may be sprung in position and held therein by contact with the adjacent surfaces of the bars and the serrations at the bottom.

The purpose and method 0f operation in making signs will be obvious.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a frame composed of lateral and longitudinal elements, said lateral elements beingperforate and a plurality of type plates, of bars adapted to extend horizontally from side to side of said frame, split tubes rigid in the ends of said bars, said tubes being engageable in the mentioned perforations, ribs formed on said bars, said ribs having a serrated upper surface engageable with the bottoms of said type plates, beveled longitudinal recesses formed on the lower edge of said bars, engageable with the tops of said type plates, clamp rails having a slot receptive of said ribs, bein overlapped andthe adjacent ortions and pins in the ends of said clamp rails enof t e transparent characters over ap ing ga eable in said tubes whereby the plates and registering at the edges of said p ates and rails may be held in operative position. substantially as and for the purposes Set 5 2. In a' device of the character described, a forth. 15 plurality of relatively thin opaque type Signed at New York, in the county of plates, transparent characters displayed New York, and State of New York, this upon said type plates, the lateral extremities ninth day of June, 1916. of said characters extending to the edges of l0 said plates, the adiacent edges of said plates I']E.RBIAII ,AL `RUSSELL. 

